Aaron Finch, Australia's T20I captain, bemoaned his side's abject collapse in the first game of the three-match T20I series against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi, calling the batting implosion in the PowerPlay a slow motion "car crash". The visitors lost their first six wickets for just 22 runs in pursuit of 156, and were eventually snuffed out for a paltry 89, their third-lowest score in T20Is.
Finch bemoans 'car crash' collapse
October 25 2018
Finch was the first to be dismissed as Australia lost six wickets in the PowerPlay.
Aaron Finch, Australia's T20I captain, bemoaned his side's abject collapse in the first game of the three-match T20I series against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi, calling the batting implosion in the PowerPlay a slow motion "car crash". The visitors lost their first six wickets for just 22 runs in pursuit of 156, and were eventually snuffed out for a paltry 89, their third-lowest score in T20Is.
Finch shouldered the blame by saying that he should have set the tone for the rest of the innings. The Australian skipper was the first batsman to be dismissed, castled by the impressive Imad Wasim. D' Arcy Short, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Alex Carey and Chris Lynn followed Finch back to the pavilion within the powerplay.
"That Powerplay was horrific...it was like a car crash in slow motion," Finch noted. "Opening the batting, it's my responsibility to get us off to a good start and set up the chase there
"I take full responsibility for that. I think any time that you're chasing a total like that it's important you have a solid start and for me to get out in the first over and not give us that was not good enough," he added.
Finch also indicated that Australia could ring in changes for the second game in Dubai, with all-rounder Mitchell Marsh coming into the equation. The bowling trio of Nathan Lyon, Peter Siddle and Mitchell Starc, who is struggling with a hamstring issue, also sat out of the first game. Finch, however, observed that the bowlers had done a fine job in restricting Pakistan to 155 for 8.
"Absolutely they'll be looking at changes," Finch said. "I think all in all, our bowling performance was pretty good. Our fielding was slightly sloppy, then the batting was awful. Definitely when that happens, when you lose a game so badly, you have to look at everything."
